The Congress has emerged as the single largest party in four of the five municipal corporations in the state that went to polls on April 15.

The Congress has emerged as the single largest party in four of the five municipal corporations in the state that went to polls on April 15.

The party managed a clean sweep in Latur, while emerging as the top party in Bhiwandi, Malegaon and Chandrapur. In Parbhani, the Nationalist Congress Party emerged as the single largest party, though it may need to look for support to install its mayor.

The results could earn some respite for chief minister Prith-viraj Chavan, who is under fire after the Congress suffered heavily in the civic polls in 10 cities held in February. The party’s thumping win in Latur is good news for Union minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, who is embroiled in a series of controversies.

The BJP received a major setback though, when it finished second behind the Congress in Chandrapur, which is the home turf of its state president Sudhir Mungantiwar.